Running head: WHIDBEY SEARCH DOGS 1

Whidbey Search Dogs

Daniel Jones

Skagit Valley College

English 101

Professor Jan Hughes

January 19, 2011

WHIDBEY SEARCH DOGS 2

Abstract

Whidbey Search Dogs is a canine search and rescue group on Whidbey Island. Canine SAR is a

very time consuming but rewarding occupation allowing one to participate in law enforcement

and emergency management operations. You will get a view on why and for what people

dedicate their time to a SAR group. Some insight into canine search methods and types will be

touched on along with the name of one of the canine companions. This essay was written from

firsthand knowledge and accounts. The sources cited are all from reputable online sources and all

information is as accurate as possible. The information contained within is a short telling of what

canine SAR is about and why I volunteer myself to the cause.

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On a brisk Tuesday morning at 3 AM a short distance outside of Clinton, WA at the

Whidbey Institute where a flurry of collected chaos is taking place. Local police, fire and

paramedical units are on scene and have set up a base of operations to search for a missing

person. Island County Search and Rescue with the Sheriff’s Department is leading the search

and the canine units have just arrived on the scene. The subject is an elderly lady that had been

presumed missing after 24 hours after her husband, which was in California, was unable to reach

her for an extended amount of time. The canine search teams are organized and the air scent1

teams are released to start the search. Approximately twenty minutes later one of the search

teams calls out on the radio, “SAR 99 to base.” “Go ahead SAR 99,” replies Don Mason the

Search Coordinator of Whidbey Search Dogs. “SAR 99, we’ve found her,” responded Susan

Marcheese accompanied by her dog Ola2. The subject was extremely lucky due to the slightly

improved weather conditions compared to the previous day. If it was not for the fast response

and quick action of Whidbey Search Dogs the elderly lady most likely would have not made it

much longer as she had suffered hypothermia from the cold weather. This is one of many

examples of the success of Whidbey Search Dogs and their canine partners.

Whidbey Search Dogs is a component command of the Island County Sheriff’s

Department volunteer program and also part of the Department of Emergency Management3 in

Island County. The individuals that make up the team range from accountants, fire fighters,

1 Search and rescue canine trained to find lost people by picking up traces of human scent that are drifting in the air, and looks for the "cone" of scent where it is most concentrated.2 Ola is a 7 year old female Golden Retriever trained in Air Scent and has been with Whidbey Search Dogs for many years. Ola has the most successful finds out of all of the Island County SAR dogs. Ola which is derived from Olesia(Greek) means "man's defender."3 Responsible for emergency management within Island County to include planning and coordinating actions for the preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery from natural and man-caused emergencies and disasters.  DEM provides hazard information, coordinates and provides emergency training for county residents and first responders.  DEM also operates the county Emergency Operations Center (EOC) when it is activated. (Island County Department of Emergency Management)

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students, teachers, and paramedics. The desire, drive and passion of the team are to support

search operations as quickly as possible while saving local law enforcement and emergency

organizations vast amounts of time and money.

What pulls these diverse people together to volunteer their time and money you ask?

Supporting local law enforcement along to save lives and enjoy the outdoors. The SAR team

looks out for each other like family as we are one big extended family.

Whidbey Search Dogs and Island County SAR are small in comparison to many K-9

SAR and regional/county based SAR groups. Whidbey Search Dogs only receives six to ten

callouts per year. Every callout doesn’t mean a success or that the dogs will even be used. The

technical team has located the missing subject before the canine component of the team even

arrives. Some of the tools the technical team uses are the myriad of social networking websites,

e-mail, or other means of communication that were supplied to facilitate location of the subject.

Whidbey Search Dogs, search and rescue and dedicating my time is something I never

want to give up. Having the chance to save a life, assist law enforcement in apprehending a

criminal, or do whatever is asked of me in an emergency is a priceless opportunity in my eyes.

To our canine companions search and rescue is the best game they ever get to play. Finding a

subject in training or during an actual callout brings the biggest puppy you have ever seen out of

every SAR dog. We each have our rewards in the end and it may not be much but it is well worth

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it. As the US Air Force Pararescue4 credo goes, "...that Others May Live.5" Those four words

sum up everything Whidbey Search Dogs and Island County SAR is about.

Works Cited

FACTSHEETS: Pararescue. (n.d.). Retrieved from AFSOC Homepage: http://www.afsoc.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=217

Island County Department of Emergency Management. (n.d.). Retrieved from Island County: http://www.islandcounty.net/commissioners/dem/

4United States Air Force Special Operations Command and Air Combat Command operatives tasked with recovery and medical treatment of personnel in humanitarian and combat environments. They are the only members of the DoD specifically organized, trained and equipped to conduct personnel recovery operations in hostile or denied areas as a primary mission. (FACTSHEETS: Pararescue)5USAF Pararescue Creed: "It is my duty as a Pararescueman to save life and aid the injured. I will be prepared at all times to perform my assigned duties quickly and efficiently, placing these duties before my personal desires and comforts. These things I do that others may live."